Buttigieg Testifies Before Senate on Infrastructure Law; Action on Appropriations Bill Still Pending

What happened: Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg March 2 stressed the importance of finalizing the FY 2022 appropriations bill so that the benefits of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) can more fully be put in place by the states. Buttigieg told the committee the department is working as quickly as possible to implement the law.

Several senators, including Committee Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), expressed concerns about a Dec. 16 Federal Highway Administration memo emphasizing states should focus more on repair and rehabilitation rather than adding new capacity. Such a view, Capito said, was not what Congress intended. Buttigieg affirmed the IIJA contained ‘no such mandate.’ Both Capito and Buttigieg agreed on the need for states to have flexibility in meeting their specific needs.

Why it matters: The size and scope of the IIJA are historic, but until FY 2022 appropriations are signed into law, programs are operating at existing funding levels, which in turn, slow the implementation process.

What’s next: Congress has until March 11 to finalize the appropriations bills or approve another continuing resolution. ARTBA will continue pressing congressional leaders to deliver on the transportation investment commitments made in the IIJA.